You’ve outfitted your home with all the typical furniture for the living room, the dining room, the bedrooms, etc. So now what?
If you want to really kick your home design up a notch, consider adding a media room to the mix. A professionally designed media room is a space where people can gather to watch a blockbuster film or engage in a marathon session of karaoke or gaming. Dedicating a spot for this means you can really gear it out with everything you need for your entertainment purposes.
Read on to learn some easy DIY techniques you can try to make your media room a spot you will never want to leave!
Make It Tech Savvy
First and foremost, remember the point of a media room: the media. You’ll want to create a space where TV and movie watching is done to its best effect, so make sure you are using the right equipment. A state of the art television is a good start, and you can get bells and whistles like a smart TV or even a 3D feature. And don’t forget about a good Blu-ray player and sound system. Installing your own speakers will really give you that surround sound. If you’re a gamer, don’t forget the game consoles.
Get the Furniture Right
Of course, all the amazing tech in the world will do little good if you have nowhere to sit. You’ll want comfortable spots for both you and your guests to settle into, so really think about how many people you hope to accommodate in the room. You want a seat for every person. A large sectional is great, and you can add in some reclining chairs. Have some oversized cushions stacked in a corner in case people want to spread out on the floor for longer films. And don’t forget a coffee table and maybe some foot stools so everyone is comfortable.
Add Cozy Textiles
A media room needs to be inviting, really drawing people in and encouraging them to snuggle up and stay a while. Textiles can really help here, giving you that cozy effect that makes people never want to leave a space. Have plenty of throw blankets on hand and some pillows on the sofa for optimum lounging. Add a rug to warm up the space, and consider installing black out curtains over any windows, so you can get that dark room effect – perfect for when you are settling in for the night with a good movie.
Get the Essentials
What’s a media room without the actual media? Don’t forget to add an area where you can display your collection of movies and video games, making them easily accessible to both you and your guests. You can take it one step further and even make a catalogue binder with titles your friends can flip through to see the selection. If you want to streamline the process, consider investing in a movie subscription service like Netflix, or get an HBO Go account or other similar channel subscription. You want plenty of watching options for your media room.
Add Some Whimsy
Finally, remember that a media room is at its heart supposed to be enjoyable! This is a space for fun, for entertainment, and for sharing time with people you enjoy. To that end, add in some extra touches that will help put some flair and whimsy into your design. A media room is the perfect place to add a snack bar, a mini fridge for soda, and maybe a coffee or espresso machine. An old fashioned popcorn machine is also a great idea, and you can stack cardboard popcorn boxes nearby for handy serving.
Ultimately, try not to sweat the details. This is a room that is meant to be fun, so infuse into it whatever strikes your fancy. Think about how you and your family will use the space, and what sort of guest entertaining you hope to do in the room. A media room is an area that will give you major payback for just a little input, so let your creative juices flow to dream up the media room that really fits your style. You won’t regret it!